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Kia’s Soul is perhaps the company’s signature model. The stylish little boxover has done well for the brand; it was the first product to suggest that Kia wasn’t content to sell value-oriented variants of Hyundai models. And now, nearly a decade into its run, the Soul is getting an expected shot of zoot, courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group’s 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, backed up by the corporate seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The 201-hp powertrain will take the new Soul SX to 62 mph in a claimed 7.8 seconds; the boxlet will now top out at 124 mph. To put the “X” in SX, Kia has added a more aggressive-looking front bumper, twin pipes out back, sportier side sills, and model-exclusive 10-spoke, 18-inch wheels. Just in case all that didn’t let the public know that you sprang for the turbo, the Soul badge is rendered in red. Inside, orange highlights complement the black cloth/leather upholstery’s orange accent stitching, and presumably for the sake of sport, there’s a flat-bottomed steering wheel.

Elsewhere in the Soul range, Kia adds a spate of updates. While we expect to see most of the features here in the U.S., finalized Yankee specifications will be announced later this year. Outside, the revised Souls get butchness-quotient-boosting skid plates front and rear, optional HID headlights with LED DRLs, and optional 10-spoke aluminum wheels in 16- and 17-inch sizes. Three new paint colors hit the palette: Mysterious Blue, Russet Brown, and Wild Orange, with a white contrast roof and mirror caps available with the first two shades.

Inside, new cloth upholstery is available in black, black and gray, or black and brown, while the interior gets new gloss-black and metallic accents, regardless of seating hue. Opt for the Orange Design package, and you get orange/gray upholstery, gray stitching, and orange highlights, while the Urban Active pack gets gloss-black wheel arches and a bumpers-and-sills body kit. The Red Zone pack adds a red roof, grille accents, sills, and a red rear spoiler. Sammy Hagar is champing at the bit.

In the infotainment space, 5.o-, 7.o-, and 8.0-inch touchscreens are available, as are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while rear passengers get their very own USB port. Rain-sensing wipers are now a Soul thing, as is blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert. In short, all the new stuff either spikes the proceedings with a bit of zip or adds the sort of safety and connectivity functionality customers are clamoring for. As for us? We’re just curious to spool up the SX’s snail. Turbo Soul on a roll: Don’t treat it like soap on a rope.